


How Loved You Are

by Elorablemonster



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fae, Arranged Marriage, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-29
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:20:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22463986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elorablemonster/pseuds/Elorablemonster
Summary: Katara is a High Fae with an exceptionally strong magic. She learns as a child she is to be married off to a stranger. As she grows, she learns what love is, and how to choose her own destiny.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Minor or Background Relationship(s), Sokka/Suki (Avatar), Sokka/Yue (Avatar)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 34





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I made this for my best friend who loves Zutara, so shout out to her!  
> I will be adding chapters at least once a week, feel free to comment anything I need to work on so I can grow better as a writer.  
> Much love <3

Katara is five when her magic explodes out of her, shattering the icy walls around her. Her parents whisper amongst themselves, and her Gran Gran looks close to tears. Even Sokka looks frightened. Eventually her parents tell her to keep better control, that no one must know what lurks in her veins. Gran Gran apologizes, frantic and inconsolable. Katara realizes it’s not her magic they fear.  
Katara is ten when she learns she is engaged to be married. Her father punches the door on his way out, tears running down his face. Her mother just holds her tightly while her grandmother cries silently. Sokka is unusually silent. She wants to ask how she can marry a man from another court who she’s never met. She wants to know if she will have to leave her family. She doesn’t ask.  
Katara is twelve when her mother is murdered. The other fae claim they can’t tell who or what did it, but Katara’s magic touches something foul lingering on her mother’s body. Ash and smoke linger on her tongue, whispering of Summer. She tells her father what she’s found, and with ice in his eyes, he leaves them to hunt down the ones who would kill his mate. Sokka became a man when his father leaves. While he still jokes, the light in his eyes died the moment her mother did.  
Katara is sixteen when she feels true fear for the first time. The pain in her belly was tolerable. And she barely noticed the sticky feeling between her thighs. However, the bright red pool spreading out on her floor makes her heart freeze. She knew that as soon as she bled, as soon as she could bear children, she would be sent off to her future husband. A sob bubbled up in her throat, and hysterically she tried to scrub the ice clean. Sokka found her like that, kneeling in her own blood, tears pouring down her face.  
She expected him to be disgusted, to flee from the sight of clear womanhood. He was always more squeamish. But instead he kneels next to her, cleaning her shame in mechanical silence. Once the floor is clean, he helps her remove her gown, tossing it into the fire. “No one must know about this. You can’t tell anyone.” He says, his hands crushing her own in a fierce grip. She gazes up at her elder brother, and he hugs her tightly against him. “Father told me to take care of you. I won’t let them take you.”  
Katara is sixteen when she learns just how loved she is.

Chapter 1- The Boy in the Iceberg  
A messenger appears in their castles nearly a week after Katara bled. When her maid informed her of the snowy visitor, Katara has a hard time schooling her features as terror swept through her. She knew logically, there was no way the North knew what Sokka and she hid. Still, it took her several moments to slow her breathing, not wanting to show any weakness.  
The lesser fae was beautiful in a feral way. Her arms and shoulders still littered with feathers from her transformation. Yellow eyes pierced her, but then continued on to search for Sokka. Of course, She was nothing to the North, nothing but breeding stock. The message would be for Sokka, the lord of the South Pole.   
True to the nature of High Fae, he kept the messenger waiting, although Katara bet he was pacing his room the whole time. He, much like his younger sister, found their necessary act obnoxious. He swept into the throne room without so much as a glance at his sister or the strange fae in his halls. It wasn’t until he had settled comfortably upon their seat that he turned his attention to the visitor.  
She, knowing her place, didn’t speak until he nodded impatiently. “The High Lord requires your presence at the North Pole immediately.” She got straight to the point of her message, not looking at either of the siblings as she spoke. “There has been a… Situation with Lady Katara’s engagement.” Katara felt her face grow pale. Thankfully, all eyes seemed to be on Sokka, and unlike his sister he maintained a careful mask.  
When Sokka finally spoke, it was with an icy bite, very unlike the playful brother Katara knew. He was all Lord right now. “You expect me to leave my court and travel to the North. How long does that normally take?” He asked rhetorically, knowing very well it took nearly six months of sailing to arrive at their High Lord’s Court.   
The messenger bowed her head, acknowledging his displeasure. “I assure you my lord, they would not send for her if it was not of the utmost importance. We have a crew that could be her escort..” She trailed off. Katara froze, realizing the implication. The call was for Katara alone. Surely Sokka wouldn’t agree to that. Her fears were calmed as her brother responded. “Send my only sister to the North alone? After my own mother was murdered in this very court?” His voice trembled with quiet outrage, and the snowy woman shrank back in slight terror.   
“No we will go at once.” Sokka continued, his voice still full of annoyance. Katara knew immediately why he was insisting on leaving so quickly. She had already bled once this year. If they timed their travels right, she would bleed before they had arrived, and it would be much easier to hide it on the sea then in the court of one of the High Lords. Still she shuddered at the thought. She and Sokka had never left the south before.  
Sokka interrupted her musing. “You may leave now. I expect you to hurry back to the High Lord with our response. Clearly annoyed at her swift dismissal, the fae gave Sokka a curt nod before her body shimmered with magic. Within moments, she had fully transformed into a snowy owl, and flew out the window. Sokka still didn’t acknowledge his sister, instead moving on to order their servants to prepare for the journey.  
Katara didn’t bother trying to talk to him, she knew that a request from a High Lord was as good as an order. If Sokka had refused, they might just take her by force. At least this way she had an ally, one they might respect. Instead she quietly turned away from the hall, and slipped back into her room. She should start packing for their journey, but instead she sat on her bed, eyes trailing over her room. It might be the last time she came back.  
Her fingers traced the embroidery on her thick blanket absently. Even though it was beneath her status, Gran Gran had insisted on doing it all herself. She had done delicate snowflakes on Sokka’s, and soft raindrops on her parents, but for Katara? She had done roaring waves. As if she had known the power Katara would one day weld. Her hand grabbed the blanket tightly, anger burning at her throat. All that power, and still helpless to the orders of some old men who had never even met her.   
Tears welled up in her eyes, but she wouldn’t let them fall. Instead, she forced her churning magic back down, willing her emotions in check. Then, once she was certain she was more stable, she began to pack. She didn’t bother taking anything that was of value to her. Her hands instead delicately traced her most prized possessions. The whale-walrus tusk from Sokka’s first hunt, the fine turtle seal shell comb her mother had given to her, the paint her father had made from cuttlefish ink.   
Sokka found her there, gently touching the reminders of her family, when they were happy and whole. He didn’t approach her, just stood respectfully to the side. His eyes mirrored her sadness. Finally, she turned to him. “When do we leave?” She didn’t recognize her own voice, steely and cold. Sokka didn’t flinch though, as if he knew that her anger wasn’t aimed at him. Instead he tiredly responded “At first daybreak.” Katara nodded, and didn’t speak again. They just stood in silence.  
Katara didn’t remember getting much sleep. Her magic had thrummed in her veins, recognizing her fear, and racing to combat it. She must have slept though, because when her eyes opened, the sun was beginning to light up the snow stretching around them. She carefully gathered her packs, and headed down to the ice flow, where Sokka would already be waiting.  
Unlike the North Pole, the South didn’t have a shipyard right at their palace. Instead, she and her brother would be traveling by canoe down to the Bay of Ice, the last town of her homelands before the long journey north. Katara was thankful for once at how barren the Southern Pole was. It would take several hours for them to even reach the ship, and then they would have to sail completely around the glacier that formed the Southern Pole. After that, it would be zigzagging between simple island bases separate from the Courts until arriving at the North.  
The canoe trip passed the day by in miserable silence. Not that the South Pole had executions, but if they had, Katara imagined the subject would feel much like this on their way to the gallows. She tried to pass the time watching the land pass, but with every landmark she felt worse and worse. Every smoke stack rising up was a reminder of what she would be leaving behind. Finally she gave up, and settled in to stare at her fur lined boots.   
Sokka was in his own world as he paddled them past ice floats, his eyes never straying from the horizon. Katara couldn’t see his knuckles, but she could imagine how white they would be as he gripped the wooden paddle. She had seen it before, when he found out she was going to be wed to a stranger. He, much like their father, had reacted poorly. Katara never knew what words had passed between them when Hakota had taken him outside, but after that the fight seemed to leave him entirely.  
The trip seemed shorter than the last time she had made it, with the sun barely above the horizon when they reached The Bay of Ice. Katara had only been a child when the family had gone before. Hakota had needed to visit with the dock workers, and had brought his family for a vacation. Katara remembered fondly how the working fae hadn’t treated her any different from Sokka, teaching her the same knots as they would any boy. Kya had explained that the South struggled the most, so all children were revered.   
The Bay seemed different now. There was no friendly shouts on the streets, and hungry faces stared at her from the shadows of doors. Rougher looking fae strolled between the businesses, and paid her no mind as the canoe brushed softly against the lower dock. Sokka helped her out, but she noticed he didn’t turn his back towards the strangers while he did it. Wordlessly, the crew of their ship began to pack their belongings a board. Katara was just able to catch the name before Sokka hustled her on board. The “Iceberg” She nearly scoffed out loud. What genius came up with that name.  
While Sokka rubbed elbows with the crew, Katara explored the ship that would be her home for the next few months. Her room was tiny, as was expected, but she was pleasantly surprised to see it was clean. A soft cough interrupted her inspection and she whirled around. A small furry fae stood outside the open door to her cabin. “Pardon my Lady, we ain’t never had a lady on board, so we weren’t really sure what to do. But Gilak said we should just pretend it’s our Ma coming on, so we cleaned it real good.” He shuffled his hoofed feet awkwardly as if deciding if he should say more.  
Katara smiled at him gently, preparing to thank him when he spoke again. “Don’t mind me if this is rude but... “ He trailed off for a moment before continuing. “I got sisters of my own. I know your time is coming. And I know what it’ll mean if it does. No man on this ship will say anything to those Northern bastards if ya do have it.” He kept his eyes on his feet as he said this, a faint flush rising up his neck where the fur didn’t cover it.  
It took a moment for his words to fully sink in, and the weight behind them. This young man was risking his life by saying such things to her. If the High Lord found out one of his subjects called him a bastard, or worse was planning on lying to him... Katara gently took his fur covered hand between hers. “I cannot thank you all enough. May I know your name sir?” The flush deepened. “Ain’t no sir, My lady. But my Ma named me Nanouk.” Katara dipped her head towards him, “Thank you Nanouk. From the bottom of my heart.” As he slipped away, Katara felt lighter than she had in years. Maybe she had more allies than she had thought.  
During the day, Katara noticed the crew gave her plenty of space. Sokka had latched onto their Captain, and was following him around eagerly learning. Her chest spasmed as she realized it was nearly identical to how he used to follow their father around. Sokka was still a child in so many ways she realized. She failed to think of how she was even younger, and it was equally unfair for her to have to grow up so quickly as well. Instead she imagined a life where Sokka didn’t have to rule a court for a High Lord at the other end of the world. A life where Hakota was the High Lord of the South, and they made their own rules.  
The sun was setting when she noticed the ship diverting to the west. She lifted her head to ask, but one of the ship hands beat her to it. “We wanted to stop at the Southern Temple Island, pick up any supplies we couldn’t get on short notice in The Bay.” He offered. Katara looked excitedly ahead, even though this Temple was the closest to her own home, she had never actually been there. She had never seen a member of the Court of Spring.  
Unlike the other three courts, the Spring Court had no High Lord. Instead, each island elected a council of elders to rule over it independently. It was rumored that even lesser fae were a part of the Council, and they were the fairest of all the Courts. Outside of their unique political situation, Katara had also never seen fae outside of those from the south or north. She was used to the rich dark skins, dark hair, and bright blue eyes. Of the white feathers and fur that marked the lesser fae. However, she hadn’t seen any of the green eyes of the Autumn, or the soft browns of Spring.   
They weren’t that far from the Southern Pole, but already the air was feeling slightly warmer. Katara gazed at the horizon in confusion. It seemed as though the sun was brighter too, even sinking beneath the horizon. Glancing back, she could see the sky dim behind them, so she could only assume this was the Spring’s magic. She leaned back, enjoying the feeling of soft warmth, thankful it wasn’t so hot her furs were stifling.  
To her surprise, and slight disappointment, there was no greeting party at the dock. She was feeling a little silly for even thinking of it, how would they have known the Iceberg was coming. Then Bato spoke up, his voice hard. “Look alive boys, I don’t like the feeling of this.” Katara felt a chill down her spine as the crew around her stiffened, grabbing the hilts of swords and daggers. Bato motioned for her and Sokka to stay put before jumping onto the docks.   
It was as if the second Bato’s feet touched the wooden planks, they materialized. In the dusky light it was hard to see anything, but slowly they grew clearer. A young man dressed in fancy armor, and a fatter man equally dressed. The young fae kept his head down while the older man spoke. “You should turn back, nothing for you here.” Katara couldn’t see his eyes from the distance, but her magic flared beneath her skin. Smoke and ash. These men were of the Court of Summer.   
Clearly Bato thought the same. “You’re a long way from home Sir.” His voice was harsh and his hand never left the hilt of his sword. He feigned relaxation, with his body language calm, but Katara could see the muscles tensed in his back. The old man didn’t seem to miss it. “You misunderstand me, we mean no harm. The Southern Temple is dealing with a blight right now. I would find supplies elsewhere.” Bato’s muscles didn’t relax at the stranger’s words.   
It was then the younger fae spoke. “We should leave them to their own. There’s nothing for us here as well.” His voice was proud, directly contradicting his strange stance. Not once did he raise his head. Even stranger, while younger than the other, his words were clearly an order. The older fae seemed torn, but finally nodded. “As you wish.” With that, they both turned their back on the Southern ship and crew, and set back off on their path.  
Bato waited until they were out of sight before motioning for his crew to step closer. He didn’t speak for several moments, sharp eyes trained on the path. When he did, his voice was nearly too quiet for Katara to catch. “I don’t trust them, so we go with caution. Lady Katara, Lord Sokka, you walk in the middle.” Katara was surprised for a moment before Bato’s eyes bored into her. “Keep your eyes sharp girl, somethings amiss.”  
The path was cut into stone, with the growth trimmed back neatly. It clearly had been kept up recently. Katara wondered about the blight the Summer fae had spoke of. Had it all been a clever ruse? The path wound higher and higher until she felt her head spin. The dimming light made the walk seem much more dangerous, and they all took care to avoid the edge. When they got to the broad wooden gateway they paused. Not a sound to be heard from within.  
Bato and his men drew their swords, and pushed through the wooden gate. Katara grabbed Sokka’s hand tightly, and felt him squeeze back. After a moment Bato stuck his head back out. “Come in.” His voice was soft, and they slipped in. The garden was empty, of living and dead. Bato shook his head, obviously confused. “We were just here months ago. This place was full of fae. Never heard of no blight that caused bodies to just up and vanish.” His eyes swept over the area thoughtfully.  
Bato and a handful of the crew waited with Katara and Sokka. She now realized Bato must have sent out a couple men familiar with the area to search. She gazed around, troubled. In spite of the confusing events, she couldn’t deny the beauty of this place. Lush greenery, beautifully carved buildings. She could see in the distance a whole building made of glass, and when she gazed through the windows, she could see rows of books. Bato, following her gaze, nodded. “All the temples are known for different wonders. The South is known for their Library. Before the Courts were so separated, fae from all over came here to study.”  
Before Katara could question him on the Courts sudden distancing of themselves, Bato’s men returned. All of them reported the same. No spring fae, no body’s. It was as if they just vanished. Bato’s jaw clenched for a moment. Katara touched his arm gently. “Are the supplies necessary? Or could we wait until the next stop.” She didn’t tell him this place made her magic writhe within her. Bato gazed down at her for a moment, his eyes seeming to soften. “Aye, let’s leave.”   
Unlike the cautious climb up the mountains, the descent was almost frenzed. It was as if everyone felt something was wrong, and couldn’t wait to get away from this place. Katara’s foot slipped once, and for a heart stopping second she thought she might fall all the way to the bottom. Then Nanouk grabbed her arm, yanking her back up. Even with her slip, they didn’t slow their pace. They didn’t pause to look for the strangers at the base, hurrying back to the ship.  
It wasn’t until they reached the end of the docks that Katara recognized the change in her magic. So frightened by the missing Spring court, she hadn’t noticed the slight deviation in her magic. But this wasn’t a startled reaction, nor was it fear of the unknown. This was a fearful recognition. “Stop.” She ordered harshly, eyes panning the growth along the path. Bato didn’t question her, his sharp eyes already searching.   
The Summer Fae didn’t hide their approach. The older man strode purposefully along the path, halting at the beginning of the docks. His companion still held his head down, his face concealed. It was the older one that was the danger she decided. He held himself with ease, even though they were outnumbered. “Did you find any of them.” Katara was so focused on the elder, she was startled to hear the young man speak.  
She blinked startled. The young man’s voice was surprisingly anxious, as if he was genuinely concerned for the missing fae. That in of itself was odd for a Summer fae. Their court was legendarily cut throat, with the High Lord betraying his own brother to rule. Concern over another court was just bizarre. Her companions didn’t speak out about the oddity however. “We didn’t find any bodies.” Bato said carefully, his eyes raking the pair before them.  
The young man tensed at Bato’s careful words, and for the first time he raised his head. Katara first noticed his sharp golden eyes, wide and full of emotion. And then her brain caught up with what her eyes were seeing. She nearly recoiled. Sprawling across half the High fae’s face, maring beautiful features was a scar. One golden eye was nearly scarred shut, and his ear was now malformed. A terrible burn like that could only come from one source of magic, someone from his own court marked him.  
If the young man noticed their staring at his mark, he paid them no mind. “You found someone?” He asked, his voice held carefully. Katara then understood Bato’s strange wording. He figured they were looking for someone specific, and had baited the young man with his careful response. Katara felt a strange emotion she didn’t ever expect to feel for the Court that murdered her mother. She felt pity. She choked it down hard, choosing to ignore the terrible story written on the young man’s face. Smoke and ash her magic whispered. Murderers.  
Bato shrugged, “Didn’t think there was anyone left to find.” He kept his eyes leveled on the elder man. The young man sagged before his eyes flashed with anger. His companion laid a hand gently on his arm, and murmured something too low for the Winter fae to hear. The young man gritted his teeth loudly enough for Katara to hear. Then he dipped his head. “Thank you for your assistance. Good luck on your journey, Mother be with you.” His words, while polite, were offset by the barely distinguished snarl in his voice. With that, the two turned and left again.   
This time, Bato didn’t wait for them to be clear. He ordered everyone back on ship, and within a few moments, they were sailing clear of the empty island. The crew busied themselves with the ship, and Bato continued to bark orders. Katara looked back once, her heart heavy. It was such a beautiful place. Then she dipped below the deck to rest on her bed, and try to calm her magic again.  
The moon had risen when Katara was startled awake. At first, she was confused, unaware of what disturbed her. The ship was nearly silent, the night crew quietly working as to not disturb their companions. Even the ocean was still, barely whispering against the hull. Then she felt her magic shiver again. This wasn’t fear or anything she had really felt before. Carefully, she rose, and started to wander the dark halls.  
It wasn’t until that she entered the hold that her magic began to twitch beneath her skin. She gazed around in confusion at the mass of supplies, unsure of what was making her so jumpy. And then she heard a slight exhale. Preparing herself, she jumped around a pile of boxes, ready to attack. Then she froze. A young boy lay shivering in the darkest of the shadows. He slept shivering on the floor, uncovered except for his robe.  
Katara must have made some noise, his eyes flew open and locked onto her in terror. Soothingly, she took a step back, giving him some space. “It’s okay, I’m not going to hurt you.” The boy’s eyes searched behind her briefly before settling back. Her chest tightened at his expression. She had seen it before, in animals being hunted. Ignoring the urge to scoop him into her chest and hug him until he wasn’t scared anymore, she waited.  
Stiffly, he rose to his feet, oddly unsteady. It wasn’t until he stepped into the dim underlighting she understood why. Huge speckled wings rose from his shoulders, the feathers scraping the flooring. Blue tattoos covered his pale skin, lining both his arms and legs and rising up over his forehead to end in an arrow on his bald crown. Surprise flashed through her. “You’re of Spring!”


	2. Chapter 2-  A Friendship Gained

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What up  
> Ya girl has an unhealthy relationship with caffeine and wrote another chapter instead of sleeping <3

The boy tensed up at Katara’s words, his feathers bristling. It was as though he had forgotten he was under the deck and was preparing to fly away. She took a smaller step back, giving him further space and trying to show she wasn’t a threat. With a soft smile she explained. “I’m sorry, I just have never seen another court before… I just know what I have been taught.” The boy relaxed slightly at her gentle tone, his wings no longer spiking. His head cocked to the side as he considered her, brown eyes searching over her. “You’re.. High Fae?” He questioned, noting her almost human appearance.  
She nodded, brushing her dark hair over one ear to show the point. “I’m from the Court of Winter, the South Pole.” She explained, unsure if he recognized her deep skin tone and ocean blue eyes. The boy further relaxed at that, but didn’t move from his place. “You’re not what I expect from High Fae.” He said softly, his eyes still searching Katara’s. Katara wondered at that. She knew that from his wings he was a lesser fae, but surely the high fae in the Spring Court weren’t as arrogant as the other Courts? He didn’t explain himself further, instead being interrupted by his stomach growling.  
Katara smiled again. “Let me go get the Captain..” He cut her off with a panicked whisper. “No! Please… Don’t tell anyone.” Curiosity bit at her, but she didn’t ask. Instead she nodded slowly. “Alright, let me go grab some seal jerky from the kitchen.” The boy grimaced slightly, and she stopped confused. “I’m really sorry, but is it possible there’s some meatless option?” He asked quietly. Katara nearly slapped herself. Of course! The Spring Court was known for being strict vegetarians, they revered all life. “Oh, I forgot you don’t eat meat! I am so sorry! Let me go grab some fruit for you… “ She trailed off expectantly. “My name is Aang.”  
After slipping quietly into the kitchen and gathering armfulls of fruit, she delicately tucked them into her skirt. She then race back whisper quiet, excitement pulsing in her veins. Aang hadn’t moved when she returned, but his eyes lingered behind her for a brief moment. Katara gently handed him the fruit. “I didn’t tell anyone. In fact no one even saw me.” He sagged at her words, and then began to ravenously scarf down the meal in front of him. Katara watched him eat, wondering when he had last eaten. Had to have been a while judging from the way he shoveled the sea pears into his mouth. He didn’t even grimace at their sour taste.  
She settled down several feet in front of him, still careful to give him distance. She knew he couldn’t hurt her, but he might harm himself if he lashed out in a panic. He finished eating finally, and wiped the lingering juices from his face with a small sigh. She was dying to know why he was in the Iceberg, but instead allowed herself to ask an easier question. “Your tattoos..” She gestured at his body. “What do they mean?” Aang looked down at his arms as if he had forgotten he even had the marks.  
It was several heartbeats before Aang answered her. He didn’t look up from his arms, fingers lightly tracing the blue paths. “It means I have completed my training as a peacekeeper.” Katara stared at him blankly, reminding him how little she knew about the Spring Court. He smiled faintly for the first time before explaining himself. “A peacekeeper is a type of monk in our Court, they travel between the Courts and try to keep the peace, as a war could destroy our world.” Katara blinked. He couldn’t be more than 14, and already carrying that weight?  
Aang continued, unaware of Katara’s shock. “We start training when we are young, and those that become masters get these tattoos. I created a new artform, so I got them younger than most.” His hands stilled, and his eyes looked haunted again. Katara felt a stab of pain for this young fae. To distract him she talked about her home. She told him of her family, and of her lands. Of the animals and of the plants. As a peacekeeper, she wasn’t certain he hadn’t already been to the South, but he seemed intraced by her stories. When she spoke of her mother, her throat tightened, and he gently touched her arm.  
As the days went on, Katara found she enjoyed the stolen moments she got with Aang. He was a good listener, and he didn’t judge her. He never talked about his home again, she figured it was too painful. He mostly just listened to her, often laughing softly as she mimicked Sokka doing something stupid. It was one of the few times she could remember being happy, and she was thankful to have a friend. It didn’t stop the worry at the back of her mind. How long before Aang was found? He couldn’t hide in their hold forever.  
It was three days before they arrived at Kyoshi Island that her fears were proven correct. She was woken by shouting below deck. Without even bothering to get dressed, she rushed down to the hold. Sokka was threatening Aang with a bone spear, the latter pressed tightly into a corner, his wings all but hidden. “Stop it!” She cried, pushing his spear to the side to block Aang with her body. Sokka started, clearly not expecting to see his sister in her nightgown protecting a stranger hiding in their ship.  
“He’s probably a spy for the Summer Court!” Sokka said, brandishing his spear wildly. Katara felt Aang shiver behind her. She pushed the spear away again. “Oh yeah! He’s clearly a spy, you can tell by that evil look in his eyes.” She said sarcastically. Sokka rolled his eyes at that, but lowered his spear. Katara glanced behind her at Aang, the terror in his eyes still bright. “The paranoid one is my brother Sokka. He means you no harm.” With that, she shot Sokka a hard glare, and he stepped back, his hands raised peacefully. The gesture was completely ruined by the spear still in his hand.  
Aang glanced at Katara, and she felt her heart warm when he gave her a small nod. Clearly he trusted her enough to believe that she wouldn’t let anything happen to him. He took a step out, his wings no longer crammed behind him. “You’re a Spring Fae?!” Sokka said in disbelief. Aang’s wings lifted as he shrugged slightly. “Sure am.” Sokka stared at his sister. “Right, a spring fae. Okay clearly I am dreaming, I’m going back to bed.” Katara reached out and grasped his arm tightly, ignoring the spear he still grasped lightly. “Sokka, we can’t tell anyone! Please!” Before her brother could answer however, another voice cut in. “Might be a bit late for that.”  
All three of them jumped at Bato’s voice, not noticing the Captain standing in the doorway. Aang pressed himself back into his corner, his breaths panting. Bato looked at him, and Katara wondered if she saw pity in his sharp eyes. The Captain didn’t approach, instead choosing to give them space as he continued. “With Sokka hollering like he was, the whole crew knows we have a stowaway. I came down to make sure everything was handled.” He seemed to notice Katara’s stance, the way she was protecting the boy with her body. He shook his head. “Name’s Bato, It seems like you’ve got a story to tell. No sense in you burying yourself down here. Let’s head up and talk over grub.” With that, he turned and strode off towards the kitchen.  
Aang didn’t seem sure whether or not to follow. He briefly pressed himself harder into the darkened corner, as if wishing he could just disappear. Katara held out her hand patiently, and once again felt a wash of thankfulness that Aang trusted her. Wordlessly he grasped her hand, and allowed her to lead him towards the galley. It wasn’t until they were almost there he froze. Katara blinked at him in surprise, had he changed his mind. He motioned at her, a flush rising up his skin. She glanced down, reminded she was still not dressed. Sokka, noticing the exchange spoke up. “Why don’t we wait for you right here.” Aang nodded gratefully, and Katara rushed off to put on some actual clothes.  
Bato was waiting patiently, and thankfully didn’t comment on Katara’s sudden appearance change. Instead he gently placed a bowl full of fruits and vegetables down and motioned for Aang to eat. It wasn’t until Aang settled in and began eating that he motioned for everyone else to sit. Katara didn’t miss that he placed himself and Sokka further away, against the wall, allowing Aang to sit by her nearest the exit. Once again, she marveled at how perseptive the captain was. He didn’t speak until Aang had finished eating. Even then it was just to offer more food.  
After three bowls full, Aang finally stopped eating. With a pang Katara wondered if she had been sneaking him enough food. She didn’t ask, trying not to make herself look guilty for stealing food. Bato watched carefully, considering his next move. Aang beat him to it however. “I am sorry for stowing away on your ship.” He said softly. Bato nodded slowly. “Well, it’s not something I would ordinarily approve of. But I’m guessing it was a necessary action for you to take.” He paused, thoughtfully rubbing his beard. “I’m sure you snuck on while we were at the Southern Temple. We searched the whole place and didn’t find any of your people.”  
Aang shrunk in his seat, his eyes unmoving from his bowl. Bato’s voice was unusually gentle for the gruff captain. He prodded again. “Can you tell me anything? Anything at all. Doesn’t have to be what happened, but why are you hiding?” Aang remained silent, his head bowed. Bato sighed. “I just want to help you kid.” At that, Aang’s head raised. Tears rolled down his cheeks silently, and he swallowed hard before he whispered. “It was the Summer Court.”  
Sokka started to say something, but Bato nudged him hard. Katara’s heart cramped at the idea. She knew the Summer Court had killed her mother in cold blood. Just what had they done to the Spring Court.  
Before anyone could ask him any further questions, and alarm began to blare loudly. Bato cursed, rising to his feet so quickly his chair was knocked over. Aang cringed back, eyes panicked. Nanouk burst into the kitchen, and upon seeing his Captain explained. “It’s Summer Court Ship Sir! They wanna board.” Bato followed Nanouk out of the kitchen without responding. Sokka quickly followed, leaving Katara with Aang. He had his hands pressed to his ears, shaking badly. “They are here for me!” He said wildly, his wings snapping and opening. Unable to approach him, Katara rushed upstairs. If she couldn’t comfort him, maybe she could protect him.  
The two fae from before stood on the deck of the Iceberg. The fatter one looked agitated for once, and his companion was practically vibrating. Bato stepped forward. “You gentlemen seem to find yourselves in bad places often.” The scarred man stared at him, his eyes frantic. “I know you have him!” No amount of whispered words from his elder could calm him. “Please I must have him.” Katara stepped forward, and she saw the older man flinch. “Just who do you think we have?” Her voice was hard and icy, like a glacier about to shatter.  
The young man looked at her for the first time, golden eyes locked onto blue. “The Avatar.” Katara was thrown off for a moment. She was certain they were looking for Aang, but the avatar? She spoke again, her confusion evident. “The avatar is rare, no one has heard of one in over a hundred years.” The young man didn’t seem bothered by her confusion. “The Spring had one! That’s why Summer attacked them. Please we NEED Him!” Bato stepped forward again, preparing to tell them to take their goose chase elsewhere no doubt.  
The younger of the Summer fae tensed, his eyes darkening. Obviously he realized that pleading would get him no where. Katara felt her magic quicken, and realized his hands were shimmering with magic of his own. “If you won’t give him to use peacefully, we will have to use force.” The elder man sighed heavily, but it was clear he was calling up his own magic to back his partner. Katara braced herself, if it came to a fight she was woefully underprepared, and she would bet anything both of these men were fully trained.  
Before any magic could be released however, a small voice interrupted. “Stop!” Heads turned, and Katara was shocked to see Aang standing on the deck. He was pale and sweaty, fear evident on his face. But he stepped determinedly towards the other fae. “Looking for me?” He said, his voice not betraying his fear. Katara stared at him blankly, her brain slowly processing. Sokka looked about as confused as Katara felt. “No way?” He said dumbly. “Aang?” Katara questioned.  
Both Aang and the young Summer fae ignored the siblings. “You?” The young man claimed incredulously. “You’re a child?” Aang blinked calmly, the fear erased from his face. “You’re young too.” The young man seethed at that, his scar crumpling as his face scrunched in anger. Before he could attack, Aang held up his hands. “If I go with you, will you promise to leave everyone alone?” Katara froze. The young man’s face smoothed, and he nodded. “You have my word.”  
At that, Aang stepped forward, prepared to go with them. His eyes were empty, glazed as if he was already somewhere far away. Katara thought about her dead mother, about the missing Spring Court members, about this young man’s scar, and how the Summer Court could never be trusted. Something inside of her snapped. With a roar, she cried out “NOO!” Her magic raised to the surface in response. She briefly heard Bato’s cry to arms, and Sokka’s calling her name, then rage consumed her.  
The ocean answered her magic as if it was her own blood, something she was born with. It slammed into the other ship, trying to thrust it away. At her attack, the two strangers burst forth fire. Aang responded, and soon the deck was a seething force of magic. Dimly, Katara was aware of the men flattened against the ship as it rocked wildly. A well timed burst of fire distracted her, and she could only watch as Aang was flung into the sea. All the rage stopped, and she cried out in fear.  
He must have been knocked out, because he sank nearly instantly. All the fighting stopped, and she heard the two arguing faintly behind her. She hung off the rails, searching desperately for her friend. When he didn’t breach the surface, she began yanking off the furs that would quickly weigh her down, ready to dive in after him. “Katara!” Sokka called, and she whirled in time to see an iron spear headed towards her. Time slowed. She saw the two summer fae’s faces. They looked oddly horrified to see her skewered she thought. She saw the lesser fae from the ship, triumphant. She saw Sokka running for her, and knew he wouldn’t make it in time.  
It took several seconds for her to realize she hadn’t in fact gotten stabbed. Her heartbeat faded from her ears, and she opened her eyes. The world was on fire. Magic burned her lungs as she sucked in air, and she trembled at the sheer amount of it. The two men cringed before her, and she saw what looked like the remains of a spear melted to the deck. Then she looked up. Aang was at the center of a massive waterspout, his eyes glowing. The terrible magic, more than anything she had ever felt, was pouring off of the boy.  
In one swift move, he swept the attackers into the sea, and then, as quickly as it came the spout disappeared. Aang slowly lowered onto the deck, and his eyes returned briefly. Then he collapsed with a soft groan. Bato recovered first, raising himself from the water slick deck. In a few short calls, he had the crew up and moving. Just moments later, the Iceberg slid away. Katara looked back, and saw the Summer men climbing back on the ship. She glanced at Aang, still lying unmoving on the deck. With one last burst of magic, she flung an ice shard at the enemy ship. Only once she saw the burst of smoke was she satisfied. They could only watch as the Iceberg made it’s escape.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why Is It When Something Happens, It's Always You Three?

The next three days to Kyoshi were thankfully without event. The crew seemed to treat Katara with more reverence, as if they feared a misstep would cause her magic to burst forth again. Only Aang didn’t treat her any differently. She supposed that’s because he understood exactly what she was going through. After he woke up, he sat silently on the deck, face troubled.

It had been Sokka who had broken the silence. “So, uh, What in the Mother’s name was that?!” He burst out. Aang just shrugged tiredly. “It’s just something I can do I guess.” Sokka blinked owlishly at the young boy before throwing up his hands. “Oh just something you can do! Of course! Sokka how silly of you to ask. A fae used two of the court magics, and neither of them are his own, but hey. HE CAN JUST DO IT!” The outburst ended with Sokka yelling erratically, and if the situation wasn’t so serious, Katara might have laughed at him. 

Aang shrugged again, not looking at either of the siblings. “I guess it’s an avatar thing. I am supposed to be able to use all four magics. If I am trained.” Katara nodded slowly. There were a lot of rumors around the avatar, since it had been so long since one was last seen. No one knew exactly what was real. She touched Aang’s arm lightly. “Thank you. You saved me.” Her voice was soft, and Aang finally looked up. He nearly managed a smile at her. “To be fair, you saved me first.”

Bato was the other person not to treat Katara any different. He had more respect in his eyes, but she suspected he had already known just how much power dwelled inside her. He just asked she give him warning before unleashing a storm on his ship. Thankfully, the  _ Iceberg _ hadn’t seemed to take any damage in the fight, and they were making good progress. They briefly discussed not stopping at Kyoshi, hesitant to stop so soon after running from the Summer fae, but Bato had argued that Aang would need supplies of his own, ending the discussion completely.

The Bay of Kyoshi was like a mirror, not a ripple of waves to be seen. It unsettled Bato, who claimed of a sea monster who protected the island. Katara gazed into the depths, but was unable to see anything dwelling beneath the calm surface. They docked peacefully, and prepared to go to land. Bato, always understanding allowed Aang, Katara and Sokka to disembark to explore while the crew unloaded the trades. Katara nearly hugged him in her excitement, and she saw a spark of amusement light up his stern eyes. 

Honestly, by the way this whole trip was going, Katara should’ve realized that they would immediately run into trouble. It had started off rather relaxed. Instead of heading inland to the villages, the trio had walked along the beach. Aang had noticed large fish, and excitedly started flying above them, the tips of his wings tracing the water. Katara smiled gently. It was good to see her friend starting to act like a kid again.

Sokka smirked as Aang continued to fly lazily above the fish. Then he raised a hand over his eyes to block the sun. Katara looked at him, noticing his face becoming more serious. “Weren’t there three of those big fish?” He questioned. As he and Katara watched, a dark shadow swept behind the second giant fish, and within seconds it too was gone. Sokka flapped his arms to get Aang’s attention. “THERE’S SOMETHING IN THE WATER!” Aang waved a hand at them, clearly unable to hear. Katara watched as the dark shadow quickly began to shadow the third first that Aang was circling.

“AANG! GET AWAY FROM THE WATER!” The siblings called. They watched in horror as the writhing fish smacked Aang straight into the water. He struggled to the surface, his wing’s beating uselessly in the waves. Katara let out a wordless shriek as the shadow turned towards Aang, finished with it's fishy meal. Aang turned in time to see a massive fin rising up towards him. He too shrieked, and Katara felt a metallic tang as he raised his magic. Within seconds, the burst of air shot him through the water away from the creature.

Sokka was unlucky enough to be in Aang’s path as he came hurtling out of the water. Katara heard grunts as the pair tried to detangle themselves. “What in mother’s name was that?” She said worriedly. Aang stared out at the water, now still and peaceful again. “I don’t know.” Sokka promptly shoved his elbow in the younger fae ear, attempting to pry the boy off him. “Well let’s not find out, we should meet up with the others.” He wheezed as Aang managed to hit his side. Katara grasped one of Aang’s flailing arms, lifting him off her brother.

Before they could move though, shapes suddenly dropped down around them. Katara was able to see Sokka knocked off his feet before she too was swept down. Within moments, they were all restrained and blindfolded. Wordlessly, their attackers carried them off. Katara struggled for a brief moment, ready to send her magic on the attack when she felt something strike her behind the ear. A flash of pain and then the world went dark.

When Katara came two, they were tied to something rough. She could feel two figures on either side of her, and immediately recognized her companions scents. Safe. A man’s voice interrupted her relief. “You three have some explaining to do.” A young woman's voice followed. “If you don't answer all our questions, we're throwing you back in the water with Unagi.” Katara remembered the terrible shadow in the water. So the beast had a name.

Sokka, of course it was Sokka, answered. “Show yourself you cowards.” He snarled. Katara could’ve happily smacked him. She felt Aang sigh on her other side, and imagined his feelings were fairly similar. However, the strangers didn’t seem to take offense. Instead, bright light had Katara blinking in surprise. All three of them had their blindfolds off. A young woman stood before them, the strips of fabric hanging from her gloved hand. Katara blinked a few more times, certain the light had dazzled her. A  _ HUMAN?? _

Sokka stared incredulously. “Where are the fae who attacked us?” Katara looked around the circle, all of the women dressed in armor were human. The woman answered easily. “There were no fae, we attacked you. Now answer our questions.” Clearly more confident, Sokka scoffed. “There’s no way a bunch of weak humans took us down.” He said, glancing up and down at the young woman. Her makeup hid her face, but Katara saw an angry flush rise up her neck. Quickly, she yanked Sokka up by his neck. “The Unagi is going to eat well tonight.”

Katara didn’t have time to ponder how or why humans were in the Autumn Court. “Please! Don’t hurt him. He’s just a moron!” She said desperately. Sokka made a wounded noise, but her plea seemed to work. The human girl dropped him back to the ground, glancing at the old fae behind her. Aang spoke up for the first time since their capture. “I’m sorry we came here, it’s my fault.”

The fae looked at him in surprise, almost as if he had forgotten the third captive entirely. Then his face hardened. “How do we know you aren’t Summer Court spies, Kyoshi has stayed out of the fighting thus far.. We intend to continue that.” Katara jerked her head up at that. More fighting? It wasn’t just the Spring Court that was attacked? The elder fae stroked his long grey beard thoughtfully. It was hard to create honest reactions, and these three seemed like they had no idea what was going on.

Aang looked nauseous, but he continued. “The Summer Court is looking for me… I’m the Avatar.” The old man jerked his hand, forgetting his beard still in it's grasp, and made a muffled yelp. The young woman’s eyes narrowed as she looked down at Aang. “The last Avatar was over a hundred years ago.” She reminded him. The old man nodded, his face suddenly harsh. “Throw them in the water.” Katara yanked her head around. “Aang do something!” She said nervously. 

Metal tinged the air, and then Aang sent out a blast of air followed by a small sprinkle of water. Everyone froze. “I’ll be damned” The young woman said. The old fae looked like he was about to fall over in shock. “You  _ ARE _ the Avatar!” At his hand motion, the bonds were cut away. Katara rubbed her wrist gently, trying to soothe inflamed skin. The young woman noticed, and apologized. “We use a mix of ash bark in our restraints, it weakens the pull of magic in fae.” She explained. Katara nodded, she had noticed the burning, and had heard of what ash could do to faes.

The group took them back to the village, chattering excitedly about meeting an avatar in their lifetime. Katara noticed Sokka sulking, but decided it was good for him to be put in his place every once in a while. Instead she studied the human girls, once again wondering how they came to be so far from home. If any of them noticed her examination, they didn’t show it. Instead they whispered about human legends of the avatars. Katara was surprised to learn that the humans had stories of such things, it had been a long time since fae were allowed past the border.

Bato and the ship crew were settled in by the time the trio and their entourage approached. Bato lifted one eyebrow at the group, before shaking his head fondly and returning to his board game. One human girl led them into a long wooden house, and showed them where they could sleep. She promised to return when the food was ready. Once she was gone, Katara sat heavily on the bed, fingers tracing the blanket. It felt weird to be sleeping off the  _ Iceberg _ . She wondered how long their stay would be.

The feast didn’t take long to prepare. The crew sat amongst them, easily eating and drinking. Aang seemed the most relaxed though, enjoying the many fruit options. Katara wiggled her eyebrows playfully at him. “Better than sea pears?” Aang laughed easily at that, it had become somewhat of an inside joke between them. Sokka moodily stuffed his face, glaring at anyone who dare mention how humans got the best of him. Katara watched, mildly concerned at the sheer amount of food he was angrily snapping down. Before she could ask him about it, he stood up, and announced he was going to bed.

The next morning lead them to an equally lush meal. This time, Sokka barely ate, stuffing a few pastries in his mouth before leaving. Katara shook her head at him, and Aang shrugged. “I don’t know what he's so angry about. It’s great here.” Bato nodded, happily eating another pastry himself. Katara glanced over at him. “How long are we staying here?” The captain took a moment to swallow before answering. “We finish trade tonight, depending on the time of the tide, then or in the morning.” She nodded, and set off to find Sokka to tell him.

She found him outside a large building. Much like the others in the village, it was made from wood, and she found herself gazing up at the rich hues of the trees around them. Like the Court of Spring, the Autumn Court had their own magic. The trees were always bright reds and golds, and the air always had a slight bite to it. She hugged her fur, it was kind of nice in it’s own way. Reminded her of home.

Unlike Katara, Sokka wasn’t admiring the beauty of the land. He was staring creepily through a window. Quietly, she gave up sight seeing and slipped next to him. Within the building, the human girls were training. She could see metal fans flashing as they moved, and she wondered why they used such odd weapons. Turning to ask Sokka what he thought, she found herself alone.

Sokka was pushing the door open. At once, the careful moments halted, and the humans turned to watch the newcomer. “Sorry Ladies, didn’t mean to interrupt dance lessons.” Katara smacked her hand into her forehead. Didn’t Sokka know better than to upset their hosts. To her surprise, the young woman from before stepped forward. Even more surprising, she didn’t look bothered by Sokka’s clumsy insults.

“I’m sorry we attacked you before, we didn’t know you weren’t aware of the fighting.” She said. Sokka, apparently unaware of what a peace offering looked like when offered straight to his face continued. “Oh it’s fine. Normally I’d hold a grudge, but since you’re just humans.” Some of the other human girls shared angry looks at his words. Katara smacked her forehead again. At this rate she’d have a huge bruise thanks to her idiot brother. 

The young woman glanced at him, and then her lips quirked upwards. “Oh a big strong fae like you? We wouldn't stand a chance!” Katara heard the mockery in her voice, and prayed for once Sokka wouldn’t let his pride get involved. He responded, clearly unaware of her snark. “Well don’t feel too bad, I am Lord of my court.” The woman’s lips twitched at that and she answered in the same mocking tone. “Wow! Lord of your court?” She glanced back at the other girls. Katara had a bad feeling about this. Sharp green eyes locked on Sokka. “Maybe you'd be kind enough to give us a little demonstration.”

Sokka stopped preening at that, and looked dumbly at the human before him. “Oh ... Well ... I mean ... I …” The human didn’t give him time to give an excuse, turning back to her group. “Come on ladies, don’t you want to see some moves.” They chorused their agreement. Sokka blinked in confusion, and Katara wanted to yell at him to not be an idiot. “Well if that’s what you want.” He said, still mildly confused.

Katara could only watch as the human girl made a complete fool of her brother. For every move he tried, she easily blocked, or dodged. She could see her brother was losing his patience, and then it happened. He swing wildly. In a confusing flurry of motion, the young woman easily tied him up, leaving him to flop on the ground like a fish. “Anything else you would like to teach us?” She said, her tone fully mocking. Sokka turned beat red. “You go Suki!” One girl called out. Suki just ignored the compliment, and untied her opponent. Sokka slunk away, and Katara watched him leave.

Aang was having a much better time than Sokka had been. Plenty of the younger fae were fawning over him. Katara found him up a tree, his head peeking out from some orange leaves. “Are they gone?” He whispered. Katara glanced around, and then saw a small herd of younglings headed towards them. She laughed as one spotted Aang clearly up a tree, and in a flurry of leaves, he flew off. With excited screams, the fae girls followed on foot. Katara shook her head, and tried to decide what to do.

Bato found her wandering the village, looking at the unique lesser fae. One with a dappled bark skin had caught her eye, and she hadn’t even noticed the Captain’s approach. “Looks like the tide will be with us tonight.” She started at his voice. Her eyes didn’t leave the pretty fae when she answered. “Do we have to leave?” The question sounded childish to her, almost whiny. Bato didn’t say anything for a while. “We don’t have to do anything you don’t want my lady. But every choice has consequences.” Katara nodded, understanding his words. Then she remembered something. “Bato?” She asked softly. He turned back to her. “Do you know why there are humans here?” 

The Captain took a long time to answer, as he usually did. “Those girls. I know why they are here yes.” Katara looked at him, and found his face grimmer than normal. “As you know, we have laws in place. Laws that forbid us from taking humans as slaves. But with every law, there are those who would break them.” Katara swallowed hard. “All of them?” He nodded. “They were taken from their homes, sold into slavery. Kyoshi, the fae for which this island is named, was always against slavery. In fact she helped write the treaty banning it.” He paused for a moment. “These girls are saved from a terrible life, some choose to go home. Knowing the risk of being taken again. Others choose to be trained here. To be able to fight the fae.” Saddened at the thought, Katara nodded. She should find Sokka to tell him they would leave tonight.

She wasn’t expecting to find him with Suki, the human girl. They were both sweaty and panting when she found them. She watched, unnoticed as they circled each other again. Sokka had managed to find and put on the human armor, and even had his face painted to match them. He also was moving much easier than before, a testament to how long they had been training. Katara smiled softly, and decided to leave him to it. She could always tell him tonight.

Peace always ended with ash on her tongue. Katara froze, half way back to their lodging. Her magic twisted uncomfortably, and she raised her head. Briefly, she wondered if she was just being paranoid, considering the past week she had experienced. Then metal overtook the taste of ash, and a fireball arched through the air. She could only watch helplessly as it fell towards the village. Then the blast knocked her back.

Winded, she struggled back to her feet. Above her, more fireballs rained down. Just in front of her, a house blazed. She prayed to the Mother that no one was home, even from several lengths away, she could feel the heat and knew no one would’ve survived. Far away screams reached her ears, and she could see people fleeing from the ruined area. And still fire rained from the sky.

Aang found her there, frozen as she stared at the carnage around her. A strange smell overpowered the smoke, and she retched when she realized it was the scent of burning flesh. All the joy had left Aang’s face. He grabbed her hand, dragging her away. “Did we do this?” She asked him, desperately. Face grim, he stared ahead for several heartbeats. “I don’t know.” He finally responded.

The Kyoshi warriors were fighting back the lesser fae when they reached the village. Thanks to the uniformed appearance, she had no way of telling which was Sokka. She saw a body lying ominously still, a piece of wood piercing it's stomach. Shaking, she rubbed the makeup away and saw a human face staring back at her. Gently, she closed the girl’s eyes, sorry she didn’t know any human prayers.

Aang found Sokka and Suki huddled together. Katara raced to her brother, but froze at the scene before her. They were impossibly close, their foreheads nearly touching. After some words whispered too quiet for Aang or Katara to catch, Suki kissed Sokka on the check and raced to help her sisters. Sokka, upon seeing his sister, sagged in relief. Carefully he pulled her into him. She burst into tears as his arms wrapped around her.

Bato found them like that, Aang staring at the ruined village with tears in his eyes. “We have to go.” The captain said gruffly. Katara was about to protest when he continued. “I guarantee if we leave, they will follow. If we stay, we will make things worse. The trio looked at the devastation around them, and then quietly followed Bato back to the  _ Iceberg. _ The rest of the crew looked as torn as they did about leaving, but they followed their orders silently. The foot soldiers, noticing the retreat began to head back to their own ship.

Aang was silent as they slipped further away from the shore, his eyes locked on the massive column of smoke rising into the air. Before Katara could react, his wings snapped open, and with a powerful thrust he was several feet in the air. “Aang?” She called out questioningly. He ignored her, and continued to climb. Sokka added his voice to Katara’s. “Aang! COME BACK!” He yelled, also ignored.

When Aang reached several tree lengths in the sky, he stopped climbing higher. He hovered high in the air for a moment. And then, without warning, he folded his wings in. Katara could only watch as he plummeted into the water. She and Sokka raced to the edge, faint bubbles the only sign of their friend. “Aang! What are you doing?” She screamed at the depths.

The water began to bubble more, and she grabbed Sokka’s arm hard. Ripples broke the glassy surface of the water. And then a massive head burst forward. The Unagi, in all it's horrifying glory reared it's head high in the air. Sokka nudged Katara, point at the top of it's head. Aang was perched there, holding a massive whisker in each hand. With surprising ease, he pointed the sea monster’s face towards the village. With a deafening roar, it opened it’s maw, and water burst forth. The smoke began to subside as the water thundered down. Satisfied, Aang let go, and flew back down to the ship.


	4. Chapter 4- Injustice

Since Kyoshi Island, there had been no sign of their Summer attackers. Bato had relaxed slightly, but Katara noticed he had bags under his eyes, and she would bet Sokka a load of laundry that Bato was keeping watch well into the night. Everyone was pretty shaken up about the vicious attack. It was one thing to hear about the Summer’s savagery, it was another to see it up close. Katara hadn’t expected the older of the two to attack an innocent village, but perhaps his peaceful approaches were a front, a way to make his enemies at ease.

Aang suffered the worse of them. While Katara herself couldn’t sleep well, she often woke up to Aang’s nightmares. Unlike a normal fae, Aang’s magic responded to his distress, and it wasn’t unlikely for the whole crew to be woken by the sea screaming against the hull. Katara held the sweat soaked body often, whispering comforting words until his wings sagged and his face relaxed. Even then, she wouldn’t return to her own room. She would watch Aang until she collapsed from exhaustion.

Sokka wouldn’t talk about the human Suki, at least not to Katara. But she often found him staring at the sea behind him, fingers lightly tracing the path her lips had made on his cheek. He made jokes still, she noted. But there was something in his eyes, something far away that made her feel like a part of him was still on that island. She whispered prayers to the Mother for Suki and the villagers. And so quietly no one else could hear, she also prayed for Sokka’s heart. That the human girl, with life so short, wouldn’t break his heart.

Katara wasn’t sure how many days had passed. But Bato eventually grew tired of the trio moping about the boat. The sun was setting when he clapped his hands loudly together, causing Sokka to startle upright, smacking his head into a sail post over head. While Sokka dramatically groaned behind him, Bato looked at Aang and Katara. “Right! Neither of you have seen Ironside, have you?” He proclaimed loudly, as if to drown out Sokka’s theatrical moaning. Aang and Katara exchanged looks. Bato knew by now just what they had seen.

Katara shook her head, bemused by the Captain’s questioning. Aang followed suit, not bothering to state the answer he knew the man was already aware of. Bato looked amused to Nanouk. “Isn’t that a damn shame?” Nanouk nodded enthusiastically, his eyes bright as he gazed adoringly at his leader. Bato continued, still talking in his weird excited tone. ‘We’ll we just have to remedy that! We are only about a day’s journey from there!” Sokka, finally deciding he was not in fact dying, finally spoke up. “Is that such a good idea…” He trailed off, as if any of them needed reminding the last time they had stopped.

Bato lifted his head, and sniffed the air dramatically. “I think we are okay. I haven’t seen those heated bastards since we left Kyoshi.” He glanced over at Katara carefully. “What about you girl. Smell any smoke?” Katara blinked at him, she had already guessed he was aware of her ability to sense other magics, but for him to ask outright was very unlike him. She cast her magic out as far as she could, but felt nothing out of the ordinary. She shook her head, and was surprised to see Aang and Sokka both relax some. 

Katara side eyed the shrewd captain. Had he realized they all needed some comforting. She hadn’t even been aware of it, but purposefully casting her magic out made her realize how often she had been doing it unconsciously. Her body, now aware of the strain trembled briefly. How did Bato always know what they were thinking? He didn’t give her the chance to ask, instead turning to Nanouk. “Head a course for Ironside!” Nanouk darted off, and within moments Katara felt the  _ Iceberg _ shifting slowly to the west.

The world was just beginning to shift from dark to light, with the sun not yet over the horizon when Bato woke Katara up. She rose stiffly from her seat, and startled when she realized she was still fully dressed. Bato nodded towards the sleeping figure before her. Back in Aang’s room. She hadn’t even realized. She flushed briefly, realizing how inappropriate it might appear for a lady of her standing to be staying in a young man’s room unchaperoned. Bato wasn’t one to judge though. He just motioned for her to follow him.

Sokka was already on deck, half asleep from the looks of it. He swayed groggily, muttering nonsense under his breath. Katara ignored him, she was already used to how long it took her brother to fully wake up in the mornings. Instead, her eyes followed Bato’s finger pointing forward. Stretching high above their heads were massive rock formations. In the dim light, they should’ve looked ominous. But Katara could only gawk at their savage beauty, her mouth dropped open in awe.

It took Sokka much longer to even become aware of what they were approaching. He yawned loudly, stretching. He opened his eyes slightly, rubbed them hard, and then did a double take. “Oh MAN!” He said loudly, his voice mirroring Katara’s astonishment. His head tilted back, clearly trying to see the tops of the arches, but they were shadowed by the clouds far above. A gasp alerted everyone that Aang was up and had seen them too.

Katara glanced back. His wings were twitching, half unfurled. She wondered, not for the first time, what it must be like to fly. Aang was clearly thinking about it himself, his feathers spiking briefly. Then he managed to calm himself. Eyes bright, he turned to Bato. “What are they?” Bato smiled, clearly his plan to distract the kids was working. “No one knows where they came from. Legends say the Mother herself raised them from the waters.” Aang’s eyes traced the beautiful rocks. “Why?” His voice was quiet, and Bato smiled again. “They say it's a way to the heavens, that if you can climb them you can see the whole world.”

The sun continued to climb in the sky as the  _ Iceberg _ wound it's way through the rocky formations rising from the deep. Soon a cliff rose ahead of them, and Katara noticed the strange black rock wall. “Iron Ore.” Bato explained. “How this place got it's name.” He waved to the crew and the  _ Iceberg  _ came to a halt. “We can’t go any further,” he added. “We will take the dinghy to the dock.” Katara glanced over the railing, and noticed sharp spurs of rocks lurking beneath the surface. An inexperienced sailor would wreck his ship upon them thinking to get closer to the shore.

Once in the smaller ship, Bato began rowing them towards the cliffside. As they grew closer, Katara noticed that she had been wrong before. The cliff wasn’t totally sheer as it appeared at first glance. Much like the Southern Temple, there was a path cut into it's side. Shadows peppering the face hinted towards tunnels deep into the earth. Bato noticed her curious glance, and nodded. “It’s a mining village, they have dug many tunnels into it’s rock.” He gave her a wry smile. “Some say you could hide a whole army beneath the village. Ask an elder, they have some excellent ghost stories to share.”

They took the path slowly and carefully. Sokka, lacking a head for heights, pressed himself firmly to the cliff refusing to look down. Katara almost wished she had followed his example, for when they were half way, she glanced over the edge and her head spun. Only Aang and Bato were unbothered. Of course Aang had wings, and had flown much higher. Bato however, looked as if he were part mountain goat the way he climbed with ease. He didn’t even flinch when his foot slipped on some silt. Instead he swayed with the motion, easily regaining his balance from years of unsteady deck footing.

The sun was nearly over head when they finally reached the top. Sokka happily flung himself into the grass, pressing his face into it. Katara decided to be merciful, and not mention the climb they had to make back down. Aang stood on the edge, the faint wind ruffling his feathers. Katara didn’t move to stand by his side, still nauseous from seeing the height before. Instead she questioned him on his strange stance. “Aang, what are you doing?” Aang turned happily towards her. “This place has the most amazing updrafts!” He tilted his head up. “The wind hits the cliffs and it's all pushed up. I bet I could glide forever here.” Katara blinked, she hadn’t thought of Aang’s wings getting tired, but it made perfect sense.

Bato decided to stay by the path, choosing to point the trio to the village. He didn’t seem anxious, so Katara decided not to worry about whether or not he was guarding the only exit. Instead she cheerfully waved at him as they headed down the dirt trail. His face was dappled by the light passing through the brilliant autumn leaves, and it made him look almost angelic, as if the Mother had decided to take him now. A shiver went down her spine. Clearly that wasn’t a thought she wanted to linger on. It couldn’t be an omen.

They didn’t see anyone for a long time, as they quietly walked down the path. Dirt puffed up under their feet, it was clear there hadn’t been rain in a while. They didn’t talk much at all, with the silence around them, it almost felt irreverent to break it. A small bird landed in their path, and they paused to watch it. It had a nut in it's beak, and as they stared, it raised the nut to crack it on a stone. A huge crash startled them all. The bird squawked loudly, then tipped it's head to the side to study the nut. It tried again, and once again, right as the nut connected to the stone a deafening crash. The bird flew up in the air, clearly giving up on the nut.

Sokka looked around wildly. “What in Mother’s name was that?” A third crash. Aang looked to the side pointing. “It came from over there!” Katara and Aang set off in the direction Aang had pointed at. Sokka groaned. “After everything, maybe we should be running AWAY from big booms. Not towards them??” And then promptly followed them through the dry brush. Aang froze just up ahead, a clearing before him. There stood a young fae man.

As they watched, he lifted another large boulder and sent it crashing to the ground. It was clear this was the source of the noise they were hearing. Katara’s eyes raked over him. He had green eyes, and skin that looked like crackling rocks. “An Autumn Court fae!” She murmured excitedly. In spite of the fact they had already met some Autumn Court members, Kyoshi hadn’t had any with magic in their veins. This boy was the first that she had seen.

Aang shot Katara a smile. “Let’s go meet him!” Sokka shifted anxiously behind them. “What if he’s dangerous? We should approach with caution.” As he spoke, however, his sister pushed through the last of the undergrowth. “Hello! My name is Katara.” Sokka smacked his head against a tree. The young man gasped, and without another word rushed away. As he slipped down a narrow ravine, he pulled rocks behind him, blocking their path. 

Aang hurried next to Katara. “Nice to meet you too!” He called. Katara looked sad. “I just wanted to say hello.” Sokka shrugged ready to turn around and head back. Aang stopped him though. “I bet he’s running back to the village?” Katara nodded, excited again. “I bet your right, we just need to follow him!” Sokka stared at their backs as if they had grown second heads. “Uh, guys. He didn’t really seem thrilled to see us?” Katara and Aang both ignored him, heading off in the same direction as the young man.

Sure enough, a short dash through the forest, they came upon the village. Sokka looked around. “Does it seem… kind of dead to you guys?” He asked nervously. Katara ignored him, seeing the young man they were following slip into a shop down the street. She grabbed Aang’s sleeve, gently tugging him towards where she had seen the boy enter. Sokka trailed behind them, eyes sweeping the street as they walked.

Katara entered the shop eagerly, pausing briefly when she didn’t see the young man inside. An older woman with green eyes greeted them softly. “Welcome, how may I help you?” At that, a young man pushed back into the store from a backroom. “Sorry, Mom..” Katara interrupted him. “You’re the guy that ran away!” He jerked in surprise, backing away slightly. “No sorry, you must.. You must have me confused with someone else.” He stammered.

Aang peaked out from behind Katara, his head cocked to the side in confusion. “No, it was you? We saw you using earth magic.” The older woman gasped, and the plate she was holding fell to shatter on their floor. She paid it no mind, bustling past the newcomers to shut the door to the shop. Only then did she whirl back towards her son. “Haru! You were seen?” She hissed, alarm evident in her eyes. “You  _ KNOW _ how dangerous that is! What if someone else had seen?” Her voice cracked at the end, her distress clear.

Before anyone could answer her, a sharp knock distracted them. Sokka peaked out the side panel and the blood drained from his face. “Summer Court soldiers.” He hissed to his companions. “HIDE.” Haru seemed startled by Sokka’s demand, but he didn’t stop them from rushing into the backroom. From there they watched in dismay as three men strode in, eyes of gold and amber clear.

“What do you want?” Haru’s mother asked nervously. “We already paid this week.” The man paid her no mind. “Protections doubled this week. Rumors of earthen magic flying about.” he paused, eyes narrowing at her. “We wouldn't have an accident would we.” His eyes shifted to Haru pointedly. Haru’s mother took a step back, shaking. She reached into her apron and handed him all the coins she had. The fae’s mouth twitched in disdain, and he plucked the lower valued coins from the pile she had given him. “Keep the change.” He laughed, and with a snap, the three turned and strode away.

The trio waited for several heartbeats before leaving their hiding spot. “What a sweet man.” Sokka said sarcastically. He raised his eyebrow at Haru and his mother. “How long have the Summer Court been here.” Haru’s mother sagged, looking defeated. “Five months. They attacked, preventing us from sending word to the High Lord of Autumn. They use our iron for themselves.” Haru pushed forward, his green eyes dark. “They are worthless thugs. They steal and bully everyone.” His eyes narrowed more. “Everyone’s too scared to fight back.”

His mother clutched his arm. “Haru, don’t talk like that. If they heard..” She trailed off, her face fearful again. Katara looked at the two of them. “Haru can use magic right? Why can’t he help?” She asked innocently. Haru’s mother shuddered. “It is forbidden. He can NEVER use it again.” Her eyes locked on her son, and he looked to the floor guilty. Katara felt a pang. “How can you say that? His magic is a part of him as much as breathing is!” The woman shook her head violently. “You don’t understand. I can’t lose my son like I lost my husband!”

Haru lead them to a barn quietly, lost in thought. Katara stared at her boots for a long while before bursting out. “I’m sorry!” Haru shrugged halfheartedly. “It’s okay. You couldn’t have known.” She paused, unable to figure out a way to ask that wasn’t too painful. “My mother.. The Summer Court killed her.” She said softly. Haru looked at her, his green eyes wide with compassion. “I am so sorry.” She nodded and then opened her mouth again. Haru noticing, cut her off. “I don’t think they killed my father or the other Autumn magic users. I don’t actually know for certain. They took him away.” He paused briefly before continuing with conviction. “But I feel like I would know if he was dead. And I can’t believe that, not until I see proof myself.

Katara nodded, her face solemn. If she hadn’t seen Kya’s body herself, she wasn’t sure if there was anyone who could’ve convinced her that her mother was truly gone. The barn was quiet, empty of everything but a few lone mice. Haru shuffled his feet awkwardly. “I know it’s not much, but the Summer fae won’t search for you here.” Sokka nodded, his eyes serious. “Thank you.” Katara said gently, her heart aching for this boy. With that, Haru slipped away.

The group slept fitfully, anxious about the news. The Summer Court attacking an Autumn Court outpost? It could only mean one thing. A war was coming. Briefly Katara wondered about just going home, protecting what they had. But she dismissed that thought as quickly as it came. It would be better to warn the High Lord of Winter, to bolster the Autumn Court with an alliance. Her head traitorously whispered that the only way that would happen was through a marriage.

When dawn arrived, all of them had bags under their eyes. Aang looked the worst, and Katara cringed. How long would it be before he lost the look of a hunted animal. Every time they thought they might be safe… She had another thought. Bolting upright she whirled towards Sokka. “The ship that followed us!” Sokka blinked blearily at his sister. “What if the reason they didn’t follow us here was because they KNEW about the Summer soldiers being stationed here.” That woke her brother right up. His dark blue eyes narrowed. “We have to warn Bato.” Sokka said seriously. “It’s time for us to leave.”

They were slipping around the edge of the village when Sokka straightened, his body tight. Aang, so focused on checking for soldiers plowed right into him. Katara anxiously looked around, why would Sokka stop so suddenly. Then she saw what he had. Haru’s mother stood on the edge of the village, tears bright on her face. Katara felt her heart plummet. There was only one reason she would look that way. Ignoring her brother’s warnings, she rushed into town. “Haru?” She called recklessly. “HARU?! WHERE ARE YOU?” Her voice was quickly becoming erratic sounding.

A young woman with leaves growing from her skin grabbed Katara’s arm so hard she knew she would have bruises. “HUSH GIRL!” The stranger hissed. “You already know they have taken him!” She emphasized her words with a hard shake. “You winter fae should leave before you’re found out.” With that, she released Katara’s arm. On numb legs she stumbled back to her brother and Aang. They both looked mournfully at her. Neither questioned her on what the fae had told her about Haru. They all knew.

Desperately, she turned towards his mother. “When did they take him?” The woman looked blankly at her for a moment. Katara fought the urge to shake her. “THINK. When did they take him?!” After another moment, she answered. “They came at midnight.” Sokka sighed heavily. “It’s too late to track them.” His eyes turned up towards the sky, the sun high above them. Katara felt the familiar rage burning deep down. A terrible idea was coming to mind. “We don’t need to track them. They are going to take me to him.”

Three confused faces turned to her. Aang spoke first. “Why in Mother’s name would they do that?” Katara locked eyes with her brother, knowing what he would have to say when she was done. “I’m going to get caught using magic.” Haru’s mother gasped. “But youre of Winter? There’s no guarantee they would take you to the same place!” Katara nodded. “That’s why you’re going to help me pass for an Autumn fae.

It took most of the day to disguise Katara as an Autumn fae. Finally, when they were done, Haru’s mom handed Katara a looking glass. An unfamiliar face stared back. Her skin had been powdered until she was light enough to pass for the Autumn Court, they had added moss and a fox’s fur to her skin to hide her High Fae features. Sokka blinked, his face unhappy still. “Well you do look freaky. So long as they don’t look too closely..” He trailed off, locking eyes with his sister. “Are you sure I can’t convince you not to do this?”

Katara shook her head. “You spent all day trying. I need to do this Sokka.” He nodded sharply. “I had to try. You’ve got twelve hours to find Haru. Then we are leaving, with or without him.” He added harshly. Katara nodded, silently thinking that she wouldn’t be going anywhere without Haru. Bato locked eyes with Sokka. With one last hug, they slipped away. They would be waiting on the boat to watch for the Summer ship taking her away. Aang was already in the sky, ready to watch from above and signal anything they missed. Katara took a deep breath. Time to go.


	5. Chapter 5- Prison Break

Katara rubbed her arm. The Summer soldiers had been anything but gentle. Eye’s wide, she noticed the fae woman who had stopped her before. She slumped against the hold, refusing to meet Katara’s eyes. “I couldn’t let you rescue one of our own alone.” She whispered quietly, careful not to alert the guards on the deck above them. Katara noticed in the gloom several other villagers sat quietly, eyes serious. She locked eyes with the woman, who nodded. All of these people had gotten arrested to limit Katara’s likelihood of being caught. Katara had to swallow hard before she could speak. “Thank you.” 

Unlike the  _ Iceberg _ this ship was anything but clean. Katara could smell vomit nearby, and tried not to gag when a soggy rat ran across her bare foot. She could hear liquid sloshing in time with the ships movement, and tried very hard not to think about what it might be. One of the men had a shallow scrape on his bald head, a testament to the fragility of their situation. It only would take one soldier to strike her for things to all fall apart. Anxiously, she curled up against the cold metal wall and waited.

The hold had only a small grate above them to let light in. When the moon was high over head, Katara felt the ship shift. She sighed gratefully, muttering a thank you to the Mother. The dim light of night would also help her disguise. She tried to even her breathing, then realized it was pointless. Any captive would be panicking right now.

The door was opened, and they were lead out single file. An imposing fae stood in front of them, his eyes cruel red. Katara could smell his magic barely held back, and fought back the urge to gag on the heavy smoke smell. This man was dangerous, and no stranger to cruelty. She fought the urge to look around her, keeping her eyes on the wooden planks beneath her. His words confirmed this was the right move.

“Welcome to our humble platform.” He started, his voice arrogant. “ I am your esteemed warden. I prefer not to think of you as prisoners, but as honored guests” The word ended on a hiss, and he smirked to himself. Katara felt the metal biting her wrists. Not prisoners. Right. A few subtle clinks from the others shifting, showed their train of thought was similar. The warden paid no attention to them, instead gesturing wildly.

“This is our pride and joy. As I’m certain you’ve noticed, the metal on your wrists is iron. It binds your magic in place, so any fantasies about escaping… abandon them now.” His eyes raked over the small group, the cruel smirk still on his lips. Katara tried not to squirm in terror, she hadn’t thought of how they would be preventing magic. Then her magic echoed deep inside of her. Smaller, Weaker, but still there. She sighed softly, her body sagging in relief. Apparently there was too much to completely bind.

The guards began herding the new prisoners along. She huffed in disgust, the smell was enough to make her eyes water. If the warden heard her however, he didn’t say. Instead he gestured broadly towards the latrine pits, as if they were the crowning achievement, and not shit buckets. “Here we have our humble bathrooms.” He looked amused towards the grossed out fae leaning away. “If you act up, you have the honor of scrubbing these. By hand.” They continued on, visiting the bedrooms. Which were mats left out to the elements. Katara could see fleas jumping from them. Her blood boiled at the thought of these people suffering here for five months.

Finally, after the depressing tour, they were pushed into a large yard. Inside where the other prisoners. Katara blinked in shock. There were so many people here, they couldn’t all be from Ironside. The fae woman who had come with Katara mirrored her dismay. “So many?” How could High Lord Kuei not notice so many of his people being taken?” She gasped. Katara blinked. There had to be at least 200 people, how could she find Haru in the few hours left before her rescue.

“Katara?” A voice called in confusion. Katara turned and saw Haru. “Thank the Mother!”

She said, ramming into him to hug him tightly. His arms stayed motionless at his side for a heartbeat, before he finally raised them to embrace her back. “What are you doing here?” He said, holding her out to look at her odd costume. She shrugged. “I had to find you to rescue you” He blinked rapidly. “So you got yourself arrested?” He gasped. Katara smiled cheekily at him, her slight fangs flashing. He threw his head back and laughed. “Has anyone told you you’re crazy?” She paused, as if to contemplate hard. “Just my brother when I told him the plan?”

Haru lead her away, one hand still holding her arm. “I’ve got someone you have to meet.” Katara followed, eyes trailing over the numerous broken faces they passed. Finally they stood before a massive fae man. His crackled rock skin made it obvious who it was, but Haru introduced her anyways. “Katara, this is my father, Tyro. Father, this is Katara.” The man gave her an odd look. “Oh Katara? I’ve heard a lot about you.” Katara blinked in confusion, and the man quickly changed the subject.

“Here. Eat.” He handed her a simple bowl full of some disturbing slop. Her eyes widened comically as she looked back at him. Tyro laughed, a full body laugh like his son. “It’s not as bad as it looks.” Doubtfully, she took a small sip. And promptly gagged. The two of them laughed at her again. “I didn’t say it was good.” Tyro added. She set the bowl down, far away from her poor mouth. “So what’s the plan?” She asked. Tyro and Haru both looked blankly at her. “How are we getting everyone out?” 

Tyro looked at her with pity, motioning to the zombie like figures trailing around. “The plan is to survive. And hope and pray that High Lord Kuei finds us so we can get home to our families.” Katara’s mouth dropped open. “So you’re just giving up?” Tyro shared a look with his son before continuing. “I envy your courage, but the warden will not stand for rebellion. How can I risk these people’s lives.” He sighed at that, shaking his head sadly. His eyes traced over his son’s face before finishing. “We are powerless.” He shook his hand, the iron clanking against his wrist as if to prove his point.

Katara shook her head. “Not if I have anything to say about it.” She stood up, ignoring Tyro and Haru’s frantic urgings to settle down. She gazed over the group of people eating and loudly clapped. Heads turned to look at her, and she felt the warden staring daggers at her back. “Those of Autumn. You don’t know me, but I have known of you!” She called out loudly. A few more curious heads raised. “I have heard the stories of your strength and courage, I have heard the tales of the heroic Autumn Court since I was a child!” She took a deep breath. “Some of you think you are powerless without your magic, but it is not your magic they should fear. They should fear your brave hearts, your endless strength! Let us Fight for our freedom!!” She blinked out at the group, but already some were turning away.

No one stood up to answer her, no one prepared to fight. Sad eyes turned back to miserable food, and Katara fell to the ground broken. “I failed.” She whispered. She gazed up at the sky, Sokka would be here by now. Haru looked at her and shook his head shortly. He wouldn’t leave his father here alone. Katara would have to go back to his mother without her son. A single tear fell down her cheek as she slipped away. She glanced back, eyes wandering over the empty shells of the fae before her. Two hundred lost souls.

She found Aang perched awkwardly in a corner. He sighed in relief at her appearance. “I really didn’t want to have to come looking for you.” He whispered. Sokka popped his head up, and smiled at his sister. His smile faded when he realized she came alone. “Your twelve hours are up, where is Haru?” He hissed. Katara shook her head. Sokka sighed. “It doesn’t matter, we don’t have much time before the guards swing around. We have to go now!” He reached toward his sister beseechingly.

She shrugged him off, her anger returning. “I can’t!” She hissed, her voice barely a whisper. Aang’s wings puffed in alarm. “Katara, what’s wrong?” He asked, concerned. Katara locked eyes with him. “I can’t leave these people!” Her voice raised in her panic, and she fought it back down to a whisper. “We can’t just abandon them.” Aang looked towards Sokka guiltily. “Maybe she’s right?” Sokka threw his hands up in the air, glaring at his sister. “I hate when you get like this.” With that, he flipped neatly over the side, landing silently in front of her. “ Come on, we gotta go hide.”

Before they could get very far, and alarm blared. Katara froze, and then turned to her brother panicked. “My bed! They found the empty bed!” Sokka shoved her forward. “Run.” Aang, loyal as he was, didn’t bother lifting into the air. Instead he ran along with the siblings. Katara felt like a rat in a maps as they raced through the metal halls. “There!” Aang cried. They could see the dawn’s light up ahead. They burst out straight into the main yard. Autumn prisoners turned towards them in confusion, and Summer soldiers started to pour in.

“Katara!” Haru called desperately from within the cluster of prisoners. “Katara stop! You cannot win!” Tyro’s voice followed. Then the oily voice of the warden came from behind. “You should listen little girl.” Katara whirled towards him, noting the red magic burning at his palms. “You are one mistake away from burning where you stand.” Sokka pressed against her, his boomerang draw to fend off any spear wielders. Aang shivered to her other side, fear making his wings tremble.

Katara locked eyes on Haru, his face horrified. The warden continued. “Look around you. You think you were enough to inspire them? I broke their spirits long ago!” He proclaimed with a laugh. Rage bubbled beneath her, and she felt her magic straining against her iron cuffs. The warden laughed again, unaware of what was happening in front of him. “Oh, but you believe in them? Pathetic!” His laughter turned into a snarl. “You are wasting your time child.”

Closing her eyes, Katara dug deep, deeper than she had ever dug before. She knew the power was inside her. She called to it, and it came screaming to the surface. With a shriek of agony, she let her magic out. Sokka cried out in alarm as the iron around her wrists shattered at the force of her magic. The soldiers cringed away, metal shrapnel flying about them. In that heart stopping moment, Katara knew what she had to do.

Before the soldiers could react, she lunged forward. “Haru!” She called out, her hand outreached. Please don’t let me fail. His hand caught hers, calloused and rough against her skin. With all the force she could summon, she forced her magic through him. His eyes wide, he locked eyes with her as it surged through his body. He pulled hungrily at her magic, tugging it deeper. Within seconds, his shackles were bursting as well. He looked behind her. “I’ll handle them, do what you need to do!” He called to her, already thrusting her towards the other prisoners.

Tyro caught on first, his voice calling out over the seething confusion. “Everyone, Hold hands!” Katara watched the frantice knot of prisoners as everyone struggled to obey him. For a second, she lost him in the seething fray of panicked fae. Trusting that he wouldn’t let her down, she reached out again. Like his son, Tyro found her and grasped her hand firmly in his own. He stared into her eyes, and nodded. “DO IT!” He called over the chaos. His voice was nearly lost in the din.

It was harder to send her magic through more people. Haru had accepted her magic, called it to him like it was his own. These people, confused and scared almost fought against the magic pouring into them. Katara gritted her teeth and let out a feral scream, pushing harder. It felt like she was ripping apart. She could feel two hundred people, distant but connected. The magic followed the path they created, pushing deep within them. Her head swam as she heard the faint pops of four hundred cuffs shattering. Totally spent, she collapsed. Tyro caught her before she hit the ground, his arms firm like her father’s. Dizzily she grasped at his arms.

It only took a few moments for the Autumn fae to realize their magic was returning. The Summer guards still seem confused, as if unable to believe one girl shattered the restraints. Those seconds were all the Autumn needed to strike. Over Tyro’s shoulder, she could see the prisoners fighting back, Haru at the head. He sent massive shimmering boulders crashing into the confused guards. Some of the Autumn fae grew knots of plants, quickly tying their captors up. Still others formed shields against the red hot flames of the Summer fae. Some, like Haru, flung chunks of earth from deep beneath the sea. The Summer were too shocked, or perhaps too frightened to do much. 

The Autumn force surged forward, now frantic in their grasp at freedom. Katara saw some of the Summer herded together before a voice brought her focus back. “YOU!” The warden snarled, his face twisted into a terrible mask. “You did this! You ruined me!” Tyro stood in front of Katara, a firm shield in the face of wrath. Katara struggled to sit up, to help him in any way she could. Tyro didn’t turn to look at her as he spoke. “Enough Katara, Let us help ourselves.” His voice warm. She sagged at that, a little grateful she didn’t need to fight right now. Bile rose in her throat as the world spun around her. The warden and Tyro faced each other, neither one backing down.

The warden was the first to break the stand off. He threw bursts of flames at Tyro, screaming nonsense as he did. Tyro was as firm as the cliff’s from which he came. With surprising elegance and ease, he deflected each attack. Katara noticed he didn’t do anything more, allowing the warden to tire himself out. The warden hadn’t noticed Tyro unwavering. Arrogant, he continued his attacks until his magic sputtered out. Red eyes stared at empty palms, confused. It was then Tyro finally made his move.

Katara had never seen magic like Tyro’s before. Giant crystal’s burst from the ground, flinging the warden back. He cried out, sobbing weakly at each attack, but Tyro pressed on. Finally he wobbled on the edge, the sea far beneath him. The giant fae stood ready, eyes locked onto his target. “Please!” The warden babbled. “I can’t swim!” Tyro glanced at Katara, and she nodded. “Don’t worry.” Tyro said calmly. Then his eyes narrowed. “I hear cowards float.” With that, he slammed his magic into the warden, and sent him screaming over the edge. 

Tyro and Haru turned as one, eyeing the remaining guards. Suddenly without a leader, they milled nervously. None willing to take on the powerful autumn fae before them. One glanced over the edge, and back at Tyro. Haru all but snarled at him. With that, the terrified fae flung himself over the edge. His comrades took only moments to follow. Within seconds, the shipyard was silent, the summer gone. The remaining fae glanced around. Had they really won?

Cheers of excitement rose through the former prisoners, and Katara smiled faintly to herself. A gentle arm wrapped around her, lifting her until she was sitting up. Sucking in air, she waited until everything stopped spinning to open her eyes. Haru was kneeling next to her, carefully supporting her back. Gently, he ran his sleeve under her nose. She was surprised to see it come away bloody, and groggily touched it herself. She must have pushed herself more than she had realized.

Haru stared at her for a long time, green eyes serious and searching. “Thank you Katara. For saving us.” He paused, and lowered his eyes to the floor. “For saving me.” Katara shrugged, wiping away the last of the blood. “All it took was a little magic.” Haru grabbed her hand, and looked deep into her eyes. “It wasn’t the magic Katara. It was you.” She felt a flush spreading over her face. Haru opened his mouth as if he was going to say more.

Tyro, clearly oblivious in his exhilaration burst in. “Thank you Katara! Our families owe you much.” Katara struggled to her feet, Haru standing nearby should she fall. “Are you going back to your villages now?” She questioned. Tyro nodded. “We are going back to ALL our villages. We will take back our lands from the Summer fae!” His brave words earned shouts of agreement from the others. Haru shifted his feet, and then gazed down at Katara. “Come with us.” He urged. Katara wondered if he meant come with him. 

She didn’t meet his eyes as she shook her head slowly. “I can’t.” She started sadly. “We have to go to the North Pole.” She didn’t tell him about her engagement, choosing instead to simply state “The High Lord calls us.” For a brief moment, Katara wondered if Haru was angry with her, the silence deafening. Then he nodded. “I understand.” His eyes lifted again, brilliant as they looked at her. “You’re something special Katara.” His eyes hardened. “Don’t let them use you.” Startled she looked up at him. He didn’t say anything more, just nodded sadly to her before joining his father. His words echoed in her mind. Don’t let them use you.


End file.
